Symphony
by FlygonNick
Summary: Life is but a song, composed by memories, experience, joy and sorrow. I am but a musician, a creator of melodies in a world of strife and conflict. This is a tale of a story where darkness battles light. This is my view of the many forces and people who I have met on my own journey, and my own insight into the world as it faces evil once more. Side story to 'Second Chances".
1. Introductions

_Symphony_

* * *

_OK, so you may be wondering, just what the hell is this?_

_This is a new side story, to warm you guys up for "Second Chances" and give you a taste of what is to come._

_This is admittedly somethiing new for me, since it's done in first person P.O.V and has to with one of my more eccentric characters, and is not a story in the regular sense. This is a series of scenes written from the perspective of Vivian, who all of my readers should be familair with by now since she's cameo'd in both of my stories. Each chapter of this story represents another scene from "Second Chances", and every chapter will reprsent a new scene. But not just any scene, a scene where she encounters a main character for the first time. Her thoughts and feelings with each one differ, from indifference to admiration to outright hatred._

_This story was made to foreshadow and hint to events in "Second Chances", as well as warm you all up to what "Second Chances" will be about. Also, it's a change of pace from my usual material. This story will not have a strict schedule, it's purely whenever I have finalized a scene for Vivain to meet a character._

_Naturally this is just the intro, where she meets the two star characters of "Second Chances", but after this is where the real magic happens, where each chapter will be dedicated to a character. This won't be done until well after Second Chances is done, due to spoilers, but it will hopefully tide you all over until I am able to post "Second Chances" in the fall. As for how long it will be, currently it's sitting at about 13 or 14 chapters, but that's only for finalized characters she meets as of now. I am still plotting and planning, so there's always room for more chapters down the road._

_Go on easy on me, I know this isn't as exciting or ground-breaking as some of my other stuff, but it is important and something I felt needed to be written. It was also done because I made a mistake, and I hope to make up for it by revealing some details about my upcomming story._

_Like always, please give me feedback and review. Let me know what you thought, what you're hoping to expect, or is you have any questions. I'll do my best to answer them._

_Enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 1: Introductions

* * *

Hello there.

Well, saying hello to a group of stranger's intruding upon one's life is certainly one of the oddest things I've done, but nevertheless, hello!

You might be wondering, just which one of FlygonNick's cast of misfit characters is narrating this silly little side story? Well, the answer is the same as the identity of the girl who ventured to Spargus and Los Angles in two very different realms, and two very different stories. The purpose of this little tale is to offer my perspective on certain characters, events, and Pokémon in regards to another up and coming story, and tell it in my own…special way.

My name is Vivian Elise Delacourt. My friends just call me Vivian though.

Well…they would if I had many friends. You see…not many people understand me. They don't get the way I think. I find myself thinking too quickly, much too quickly for people to keep up with me, and I admit sometimes it's frustrating. But, alas…I don't let that stop me. Why? That'd be boring of course! If I was happy all of the time, I'd be content. Content means that I'd want to keep things the way they are! Stagnation! It _bores _me to no end…

And if there's one thing I dislike…it's getting bored.

Hence why I'm on my current journey to Castelia City! The sights, the sounds, the people! So much life, contained in such a large city. I find it odd that the biggest and most well-developed cities are always in the heart of the regions.

Don't believe me?

Unova- Castelia City/Nimbasa City

Kalos- Lumiose City

Kanto- Saffron City

Johto-Goldenrod City (Well, it's kind of in the middle, but you get my point)

I've been travelling Unova for quite some time now, and once I got all eight badges I continued to wander the region with no clear destination in mind.

My team, call it what you will, has stayed roughly the same over the course of the past few years. 3 Pokémon with three very different personalities. I'm thinking of adding another team member sometime down the road…Hmmm…

Anyway.

There's Arpeggio, my Chatot and my starter. He's been with me the longest, and he's always on my shoulder. It's just where he feels most comfortable. He's fairly upbeat, and he's a lot like me in regards that he refuses to let anything get him down or angry, which is nice. While not the strongest member of the team, he's still the leader of the team. My mom and dad gave him to me when I was 12 (I couldn't be bothered to start my journey at ten, then again, not everyone does.)

Then there's Decrescendo, my Alakazam. I found him in the outskirts of Pinwheel forest just two months after I started my journey, and I saved him from a group of Venipede. I've always wondered what he was doing in that forest, since Abra are pretty much nonexistent in Unova, but he refuses to tell me.

I'll figure that secret out someday. But until then, I have to respect his silence on the matter.

Like most Alakazam, he's calm and intelligent beyond anything else he meets. He keeps the peace and in case of any emergency, which I'm surprised to admit happens often, he'll take charge and deal with it. He's just dependable like that I suppose.

And then…there's Marziale, my Eelektross and the team's resident grump. I caught her in Chargestone Cave two years ago, and well…she doesn't get along with anyone. She listens to me, of course, but she hardly ever gets along with Arpeggio and she tolerates Decres at best. That said, she's an incredible fighter and I know deep down, she cares about all of us. She just has a hard time expressing it.

Hmm…I got sidetracked again, didn't I?

Anyway, the point of the matter is that boredom grates on my nerves like nothing else does. Ever since I beat Marlon and got my last badge in the Unova region a year ago, things seem to have lulled into a very relaxing yet boring cycle.

We all wake up to Arpeggio singing as the sun rises, and eat breakfast.

Marzi gets annoyed at Arpeggio, they battle. And then Decres breaks up the fight.

We walk for a bit, I play my violin and got into my "Zen Mode", as my friend Noah puts it. It's relaxing, like nothing else is to me. To throw myself into my music and create something that others enjoy is something not just something I enjoy…it is something I love. It can even put Marzi in a good mood, simply listening to my songs, and that makes me all the more grateful that Arceus gifted me with the power to create music.

We then eat lunch, and I break up another fight with Marzi and Arpeggio. Those two get into it over the most trivial of things, but hey, that's just how they are. I still love them for it. We battle the wild Pokémon as we pass them, well…Marzi does at least. Decres and I engage in mind battles, challenges designed to keep our minds alert and strong, and I have to admit it has done wonders. I know he's several times more intelligent than I am, but it does make me happy that I can keep up with him at times. Oh, and while all this is going on Arpeggio sings to us and simply chats with me and Decres.

And then…one day we met him. Well, him and her. That dreadful cycle of boredom was broken, and since then things hardly ever get boring!

* * *

Castelia City:

* * *

As the sun goes down, we make our way to the Pokémon Center located right next to the entrance of city, thankfully. Marzi was getting annoyed at the continuous droves of Pokémon attacking us in Pinwheel Forest. Decres says that this is because they're agitated, and I can't help but agree with that. Is it because of some sort of natural phenomenon, or is it something else? Arpeggio simply sings a note, and we move on.

As we come to the Pokémon Center in Castelia City, I see a familiar face and one that isn't so familiar. The familiar face belongs to a man with a thin build, spiky grey hair, and gold-colored eyes that tell of hardship, unstoppable will, kindness, and strength in their owner. With four Pokéballs clipped to his belt and a dark black coat draped around him, I realize who this man is.

Wes, the ex-Snagger from Oore. Liberator of Shadow Pokémon and sworn enemy of Cipher.

Strange…why would Wes be in Unova? I admit, I'm not one to keep up with the coming and goings of celebrity trainers, but Wes…he's different. His crusades against the criminal syndicates of the regions, Team Galactic, Team Magma, Team Aqua, Team Rocket, are all quite well-known. I can only assume his dealings with them have to do with Shadow Pokémon, though I can't say that's what it is for sure.

Why has he come now? Does this have to do with Team Plasma, the group that has fallen from power twice now at the hands of a child? They're hardly a threat anymore…or are they.

The girl with him also interests me. She seems to be about my age, 17ish, so several years younger than Wes. She stops to ask him a question, and Wes replies in a rather low voice, though a small smile is on his face. Whatever the girl's connection is to him, it seems as though they've formed a bond. A rather strong one at that.

"What's wrong Trainer?" Arpeggio coos in my ear. I smile in response and say "Looks like things are going to get interesting"

The bird cocked its head and said "How so?"

"Well…someone very interesting just showed up. Someone that creates adventure and excitement just by being there, and I plan on getting in on the fun. After all…" I trailed off. Arpeggio squawked softly in amusement and said "Boredom is the bane of your existence! Interesting developments such as these are what you thrive on"

"Precisely" I replied as my smile twitched into a smirk.

I walk towards them as they head into the Pokémon Center, and as the glass doors open for me the AC blasts past me, causing me to shiver in appreciation. The Unovan summer can be a bit of a nuisance, so the indoor cool air is a comfort to me. Arpeggio sings a cheerful note towards Wes and the girl he's with, causing Wes's eyes to snap towards me. He looks away after a moment and hands his Pokéballs over to Nurse Joy, and the girl does the same.

I sit down on the nearest couch in the lobby, sighing with relief as the soft cushions press into my back. Arpeggio sings yet another note, this time drawing the attention of the girl, whose eyes light up at the sight of Arpeggio. I then realize that she's probably never seen one of Arpeggio's kind before. Chatot aren't very common in Unova.

"What is it you want from him?" Arpeggio asks me. I smile tiredly and say "Just to say hello…for now"

"Hmmm…maybe you should play your violin? Goodness knows that it attracts attention more than Marzi's griping does" the Chatot laughed.

"Sounds like a plan" I said with a small laugh, grabbing my violin from its bag and pulling it out. I position it accordingly and draw my bow, flicking it a few times before I decide on a tune. A slow and rich, yet beautiful all the same. My bow connects with the string and a note plays, and then…

Everything fades away. Just like always…my mind seems to lose its grip on everything as my hands act of their own accord, guiding the bow as it glides from note to note. I close my eyes as Arpeggio begins to sing along with my song, creating a sort of odd harmony. Unbeknownst to me, every eye in the Pokémon Center was now on us, but at this point I couldn't care less. Even the attention of Wes didn't matter anymore.

All that mattered was my music.

Sometime later…I can never really tell once I get started, the song ended and I opened my eyes. Every person and Pokémon present was staring at me with an expression I caught as awe. People seem to enjoy my songs, and so I play them whenever I can with pleasure. After a few moments, I noticed Wes and the girl looking at me.

"Hello there…" I murmured, lost in the euphoria of my music, despite my curiosity…the girl then says "She's good…really good, Wes"

"The kind of skill that comes from skill and hours upon hours of practice, Aria" Wes said with a small smile. The two watch me for a time, and I delve back into my music. My sanctuary…the very thing that has been beside me my entire life, and is in the end what I am.

"I thought you wanted to talk to him, Trainer?" Arpeggio murmured in my ear as Wes and Aria walked away, deep in discussion about something.

"I can do that later…I don't believe they're going anywhere fast, and if need be I can have Decres put a Mind-Lock on them…" I murmured.

"I see…" Arpeggio said softly before closing his eyes. I close mine as well and begin another song, one a bit faster and cheerful. This time a few children walk towards me and sit down on the floor, as though I am a performer they have travelled miles to see. And so, I continue to play.

You see…We're all music, I have come to realize. No two notes are the same, yet we can come together to create a chord, or a song, or even a masterpiece. Life is beautiful, and so is music. Both humanity and music can be beautiful and terrible, and at times.

Those two…Wes and Aria, have a very interesting journey ahead of them. I'm not sure what exactly compels me to think this, but the idea of being around them appeals to me. Wes has tangled with the likes of Cipher and other organizations before, so the odds of him doing so here are quite high as well. This girl, whoever she is, has a role in this too. A thought strikes my mind, as they both walk up the stairs of the Pokémon Center, that many more people will have a role in their journey in their journey, whatever it may be.

And I plan on being one of them.


	2. The Main Chorus

_Symphony_

* * *

_Alright, so this took longer than I thought, and when I did actually have this thing nearly done, I had to take a month-long hiatus from writing...because, well, a few deaths in the family occurred this past month and I needed time to cope and get away, and spend time with family. This had been one of the worst months of my entire life, but I'm more or less back._

_ Now that I've had some time to get my head back in the game, expect some updates soon, as I'm getting back into writing once more, but please be patient with me._

_So, here's chapter two of my Pokémon side story featuring Vivian once again, but this time with her thoughts on one of the main characters in Second Chances, Wes! _

_And just so you all know, I will be writing the story in a manner to where people who did not play Pokémon Coliseum, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Pokémon White and Black and Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 can enjoy the story without having played those games._

_I will be explaining what happened in those stories as well as other important plot points as well over the course of the story. Though I would certainly recommend looking up the stories of both games and getting a general idea._

_Shoutout to Lord rage quit, Eel3234, and Dustchu for reviewing my first ever chapter. I'm loving the support, even for a small side project like this! __  
_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 2: The Main Chorus

* * *

"I still don't see the problem" Arpeggio sang as I walked around Castelia Central Plaza, looking at the fountain with a small smile. I sighed, though in a mocking way of course, and said "Arpeggio, we're doing recon, don't you see?"

"Not sure why this man is so interesting to you. He seems like quite the dreary and serious fellow," Arpeggio sang cheerfully.

"You would be too if you had done what he's done…I have so many questions. Besides, he's been fighting Cipher! I want to see if there's anything I can do to help," I grinned excitedly. Normally I wouldn't have invested so much effort into tracking Wes down, but things had been incredibly boring lately, and with Wes around…

Well, exciting things were bound to get exciting very fast. Especially if Cipher was involved.

I decided to let Decres out after an hour of searching, and after just a few moments he detected our target with a flick of the mind, not that it was difficult for him. Psychics were able to do that sort of thing with no problem, and I had full faith in Decres's abilities.

"_I assume you're hoping for some sort of action, Lady Vivian?"_ Decres asked me in the smooth and soft voice of his. I grinned at him and said "You bet. It's been forever since we found something like this! Besides…"

I thought as hard as I could _"Something also makes me think that he's here because of something immensely important…I want in on that."_

"_Of course you do. You're the sort of person who sees something shiny in a thorn bush and leaps in." _Decres said dryly.

"Naturally. I'd imagine I would plan that venture out first though." I remarked, laughing a bit under my breath as I walked down the road. I stopped as I saw Wes and Aria walk out of an alleyway, Wes waving his arm around.

"Why are we here?" Aria asked the former-Snagem member.

"Because someone here has a Shadow Pokémon, and my Snag Machine is telling me there's one nearby." Wes said as he glanced around, his hand outstretched.

"Wes…Can you tell me a bit more about Team Snagem?" Aria asked Wes in a delicate tone. Wes shot her a look, one of hesitation, but after a moment he nodded.

"That's a bit of a long story, in of itself, Aria, so I'll give you a brief rundown. Like I said before, Snagem follows the tried and true method of stealing people's Pokémon, but they were just that. Thieves. They weren't trying to rule the Oore region or destroy the world. They just wanted money and Pokémon, really. Maybe that was our goal in the long run, but for the most part we just stole and grew."

"Are you defending them?" Aria asked, surprised.

"Maybe a bit." Wes admitted, a small smile on his face. "I was just six when I met Gonzap, the Leader of Team Snagem. He was a huge, muscular man that was proud of his strength, and despite what he says, a massive hot-head. He looked out for his own though." Wes said as he began to walk with Aria. I quietly followed.

"He taught me how to survive. To fight. To battle. He and the others at Snagem taught me how to think on my feet and how the world really works… For a while, I did what the others did. Trained, stole, and became whatever Gonzap wanted me to be…And I was happy." Wes said in a low voice, his eyes gaining a faraway look.

"Gonzap called me the pride and joy of Snagem. I could out-battle half of the others by the time I was ten, and by the time I was fifteen, only a handful of my fellow Snagem brothers and sisters could hold their own against me. Gonzap even called me the son he never had, once." Wes's voice had gone quite soft, then.

"But if you were so happy…why did you leave?" Aria asked Wes.

"There's a lot to this, a lot I won't go into. But it started and ended with Cipher. They gave us the equipment needed to get more Pokémon than ever, but we had to hand them over to them and create Shadow Pokémon…I began to question what we were truly doing, and realized that we were just playing into their hands. Being manipulated…We were slowly weakening, while Cipher grew stronger." Wes said as he regarded his companion.

"I decided to leave when I was 17, because I knew that I was the only one who could stop them. I was the only one who could save them, those Pokémon who had their hearts shut...I've been fighting Cipher since, making sure that they don't gain a foothold in any of the regions…I haven't looked back." Wes said as he smiled a bit at Aria, who smiled back in a rather hero-worshipping kind of way. It was touching really. But it also rang a few bells in my head.

Wes then spun around, hand outstretched and pointing to the west. He then scowled and said aloud "Wait here."

"OK." Aria replied as Wes walked ahead, his gait confident and smooth. He was walking towards a rather tall young woman, probably a year or two younger than himself, with four Pokéballs clipped to her belt. She had dirty blond hair and wore a pair of rather cheap looking pink sunglasses, and had an air of confidence about her. Wes walked up to the woman and tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to turn around.

"You. Battle me. Now," Wes said to the woman, who smirked in a cocky sort of way that I felt myself smiling at. Confidence was such an easy thing to manipulate…I leaned closer as the woman pulled a Pokéball off of her belt.

"Please, I'm on a hot streak! I've won four battles just today!" the woman laughed loudly, tossing the Pokéball into the air and catching it.

"Then let's see if you can go for five." Wes smirked at the woman.

"Wes…" Aria said in a worried tone as a few passerby's slowed down to watch. One or two pulled out their phone's and began snapping pictures, with one even recording the spectacle to be. Wes glanced back at the young girl and said "No worries. Remember, the right kind of exposure is good for us. People need to know about them."

Aria blinked twice, as if remembering something before her face lit up as she grinned and said "Wow…you're devious!"

"Meh. I try," Wes said as he turned his attention to the young woman in front of him.

"So, how do you want to do this?" Wes asked the woman.

"Single Battle, two Pokémon each?" the woman offered.

"Works for me. So, what's your name?" Wes asked as he pulled out a Pokéball.

"Kinsie," the woman said with a smile.

"Wes," the gold eyed man replied coolly.

"Wait…_the_ Wes?" Kinsie said in surprise. Wes's smile widened as he tossed the Pokéball to the ground. A small brown fox-like Pokémon appeared in a burst of light, cheerfully crying "Eee!"

"Eevee huh? Alright, come on out Desdan!" Kinsie yelled as she threw out a Pokéball.

A large round Pokemon that resembled a bluish boulder with arms, legs, and glowing yellow eyes appeared in a flash of light. Kinsie smirked and crossed her arms. It was a Golett, a rather interesting and strong ghost/ground type.

"Gol!" the Pokémon yelled, smashing its fists together.

"Alright! Start this off with Mega Punch!" Kinsie yelled, pointing her finger at the Eevee. The Golett awkwardly ran at the Eevee, which crouched in response.

"Eve, jump back and stay on the defensive." Wes commanded. I watched on as the Golett continued to try and punch the Eevee, but the smaller Pokémon was just too quick. Finally, the Eevee backpedalled several yards away from the Golett, which was regarding the smaller Pokémon with fury.

"Eve, Quick Attack." Wes said calmly. The Eevee sped towards the Golett, which got into a stance as Kinsie smirked.

"Normal attacks won't do jack shit, hon. Desdan, Earth Power!" Kinsie commanded her Golett. The Ghost/Ground Pokémon began to glow gold as it drew its hand back and slammed it into the ground, sending gold cracks racing towards Eve. The Eevee then leapt off the ground and flew towards the Golett, dodging the attack.

"Eve! Toxic!" Wes yelled as Eve landed next to the ghost type.

"What!?" Kinsie yelled as Eve shot a stream of purple liquid out of its mouth at the Golett. The liquid suddenly morphed into a purple gas that enveloped the unfortunate ghost, which stumbled out of the gas, though the damage was done.

"Damn….Desdan! Mega Punch!" Kinsie yelled. The Golett suddenly charged at the Eevee, drawing its fist back and slamming it into the brown rodent, sending it flying across the field causing a flash of worry to appear on Wes's face before he became clam once more. Eve crashed onto the ground with a squeal. The Ghost type shuddered visibly, but Kinsie yelled "Go! Earth Power again!"

"Eve, get up and jump!" Wes called to his Eevee, which got to its feet and obeyed, avoiding the attack once more. I realized that despite the Eevee, not once directly attacking the Golett, the match was dead even. The poison was quickly damaging the ghost type, but on the other hand, Wes's Eevee was badly hurt from that Mega Punch. It didn't seem particularly strong…So why would Wes use it and not his known aces?

Finally, after five more minutes of Eve jumping and running from every single one of its attacks, the Golett collapsed onto the ground, the poison taking its toll, while the Eevee cried out cheerfully in victory. Wes smiled fondly at his Pokémon and said "Good work, Eve."

"Shit…you're good." Kinsie growled as she clenched her fists. She returned the unconscious Golett with a sigh of annoyance, but then grabbed a Pokéball from her belt and held it high.

"Fine then! Take this!" Kinsie yelled as she hurled the other Pokéball, which released her second and final Pokémon in a flash of light.

"Murkrow!" the black bird cawed at the Eevee, who took a step back, panting rather heavily. The damage had been done, and I realized this next battle probably wouldn't last too long.

"Eee…" Eve cried softly as it took a few steps back as the Murkrow cawed angrily, flying around. Wes smirked as he raised his hand, a blue light enveloping his hand which was encased in a strange device.

"Kinsie…do you know what Shadow Pokémon are?' Wes said in a casual tone.

"What? Wait…" Kinsie said in a surprised tone.

"Shadow Pokémon are Pokémon who have had the doors to their heart forced shut. It cuts off their ability to think rationally. They lose all sense of who they are…they become mindless fighting machines. Unable to do anything except obey the commands of their trainers." Wes explained, his tone becoming businesslike. I drank in the information like water, curiosity flooding me with questions…so many questions.

"_Ah…He helps the dark ones find light_…." Decres said to me, a small smile on his face now. I grinned and said "Exactly. Shadow Pokémon, Cipher, hidden plots and the like. Exciting huh?"

"_You sound like a child in a candy store, my Lady_." Decres chuckled, earning a laugh from me. I looked up to see Wes's friend, Aria, glance in our direction, confused, but she directed her attention back to the battle taking place.

"No way! I'll beat you before you even get the chance!" Kinsie yelled as she pointed at the panting Eevee in front of her.

"Go! Aerial Ace!" Kinsie barked as the Murkrow shot towards Wes's Eevee, who was too exhausted to dodge and was sent crashing onto the ground unconscious as the Shadow Murkrow slammed into it with a great burst of speed. Wes's face frowned in worry, but he knelt down and picked the small Pokémon up and said "You were great…Zarren will take it from here. Rest up."

"Ee…" the Pokémon murmured before Wes returned the Eevee and clipped the Pokéball to his belt.

"Alright, if that's how you want to play." Wes said as he pulled out another Pokéball and said "Zarren, let's go!"

As Wes released his next Pokémon, Arpeggio sang a long note and said "Ah…here we see a Pokémon that represents Wes's true strength."

A green-scaled dragon with crimson orbs over its eyes with green wings stood in front of Wes, smirking at the black bird in front of it. It was fairly large for a Pokémon of its species, which was one of the many indicators of this Pokémon's power. There were other subtle signs of this dragon's power, most notable of which was its posture. Relaxed, yet attentive…Watchful…ready to strike or defend at a moment's notice. This Pokémon had seen action, and lots of it, and was an experienced one.

Wes smiled thinly and said "If it wasn't for the fact that my other Pokémon can't battle at the moment, I wouldn't bother wasting Zarren's effort on your Shadow Murkrow…Or rather, just you."

"GO! Shadow Rush!" Kinsie yelled out.

The Murkrow cawed loudly and flew at Zarren, who remained completely still. Even as the Murkrow slammed into its chest, a shadowy aura flickering around it, the Flygon did nothing at all to show that the attack had connected and remained still.

"False Swipe." Wes said with a cool smile. The Flygon suddenly lunged at the Murkrow with a horrifying amount of speed and slashed at it with its glowing white claws, sending it crashing onto the ground.

"Here it comes!" Vivian said breathlessly as swiftly Wes pulled out a Pokéball from his bag and tossed it to his right hand. The ball began to glow white in the Snag Machine on Wes's arm before Wes hurled the Pokéball at the fallen bird, bleeding and cawing softly as Kinsie let out a yell of horror. The Pokéball connected with its target, enveloping the black bird in a flash of light.

"NO!'" Kinsie yelled as the ball shook once.

"When you decided that your own personal glory mattered more than the well-being of your Pokémon, your ownership over this Murkrow was forfeited." Wes said coldly as the ball shook again.

I felt a grin spread across as the ball shook a third time and then flashed, signaling that the snag was complete. The ball then flew back into Wes's outstretched hand where he caught it. He then shot Kinsie a glare and said "Now then, where did you get this Murkrow?"

"Why should I tell you!?" Kinsie barked.

"Because owning Shadow Pokémon is a felony in Unova, as ordained by Unovian Grand Council and Champion Iris. And I just so happen to be able to detain you until authorities arrive to question you." Wes said smoothly. Even as Kinsie turned around to run, Wes's Flygon was already blocking her path. Moving with an extraordinary amount of speed.

"You owe to that Murkrow to tell me where you got it from." Wes said to Kinsie as he walked towards her.

Kinzie scowled at Wes, but then said "From some girl named Olivia."

"Olivia? Who's that?" Wes asked. Kinsie shook her head and said "I don't know, some weird girl with black hair and a pink highlight. She just walked up to me the other day and asked me about having a Shadow Pokémon."

"And you took it? Just like that?" Wes asked, clearly annoyed. I didn't blame him, really. This woman had shown she clearly didn't value any of the Pokémon she owned at all.

"Y-yeah. Murkrow are rare in Unova, who wouldn't jump at the chance to have something that rare? When she said it was a Shadow Pokémon…well, that didn't stop me." Kinsie said with a shrug.

"Go." Wes growled in a tone that sent the woman running out of the street. Wes returned the Flygon silently and said almost so softly I didn't hear "Again and again…they're spreading like wildfire."

"Wes? You OK?" Aria asked tentatively as she walked over to Wes, who sighed and said "I've got work to do, Aria."

"What can I do to help?" Aria said immediately.

"You know this place better than me. Find the Gym Leader and bring him to me, I don't care what he's doing. This city is massive and any one of these buildings could be a Cipher front. We could use any backup we can get when we get to looking," Wes said in a businesslike tone.

"Hugh is in the city too. He can help." Aria added as she pulled out her X-Transceiver. Wes grimaced and said "Fine, but keep him away from me. That guy makes me uncomfortable."

Interesting. Wes was in Castelia investigating Cipher after all. They had to be close by then…I racked my brain for a few moments before remembering something that made me smile widely, something Arpeggio made sure to roll his eyes at. Silly bird…he obviously didn't appreciate the work we were about to get involved in.

"Excuse me." I said loudly, stepping out from the bushes with my grin still plastered on my face. I couldn't help but feel pleased with myself. Wes and Aria looked at me in surprise and after a beat Aria said "You're that violin girl."

"Thanks for noticing. The name's Vivian. This is Arpeggio" my Chatot sang out a note, " and Decrescendo."

The Alakazam teleported next to me and said to them _"Pardon Lady Vivian, she forgets her manners when she's excited."_

"Right. I'm Wes, this is Aria. Now if you don't mind, we're busy." Wes said shortly, turning around and beckoning Aria to come with him. The raven-haired girl glanced at me for a moment before nodding at Wes and walking with him.

I grinned at that, since he was playing dirty, and said in a singsong voice "I guess you don't want to know about the strange building crawling with Cipher goons near the Skyarrow Bridge!"

Wes stopped in his tracks and looked at me with those curious golden eyes of his, and my smile widened as he turned to face me. I lazily walked towards him and said "You're looking for Cipher, right?"

"How did you know?" Aria said, sounding surprised. Wes sighed angrily and said "Because you told her, Aria."

"…damn it."

This really was too easy!

"It's not much, but I have heard about some sketchy stuff near the edge of the City by the Gate. I even swung by myself to see if it was true." I replied cheerfully.

Wes nodded and said "Remember anything specific?"

"That girl you just battled mentioned getting a Pokémon from someone named Olivia, right?" I asked Wes, who sighed and said "You saw that…Yes, she did. Not much to go on, but-"

"She's an amateur singer about to get her first big break at Castelia Stadium. She's opening before Crimson Dawn plays." I replied cheerfully, enjoying the small smile on Wes's face.

"I think we should check out that building beforehand. We'll check it out before we decide on a game plan." Wes muttered.

"That concert isn't for another week, I'm sure we can swing by and question her after a rehearsal or something." Aria suggested, earning a nod from Wes.

"We should hit that building by the end of the night if it turns out that something is up with it. Try and get Hugh here as quick as you can, Aria. I may not like him, but he's good and I'll need whatever backup I can get." Wes said as he clipped the newly caught Murkrow's Pokéball to his belt.

"I want in." I said to Wes, who frowned and shook his head.

"Not a chance. Aria won't even be coming. This needs to be done quickly and done by me alone, or with trainers I know can hold their own." Wes replied in an annoyed tone. Aria looked a bit put out, and I admittedly felt a bit bad for her.

"Fine then, I guess Cipher will appreciate the warning then." I said as I turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait!"

I turned around and saw Wes starring at me with an exasperated look. I saw it again…a sort of tired and drawn look in his eyes before being covered up by an amused smile.

"Fine. How good are you?" Wes asked me.

"I earned my 8 badges two years ago." I replied cheerily. Wes's mouth twitched as he said "Why do you want to help me?"

I felt my smile fade a bit then. Decres asked me a question, but a barely registered it before the memory came.

"_Vivian! Run!" the white haired old man gasped, desperately trying to keep up and failing. He suddenly stopped and sent out a Stoutland and stood his ground, the dog Pokémon clearly exhausted but ready to fight if need be._

"_Horace! Wait!" I panted, exhausted from running. We had to keep going, we had to keep running. They were coming for us, we had seen too much and they wanted to silence us. My entire team was knocked out and Horace had only his starter left, and we both knew it wouldn't be enough. We had to get out!_

"_REGI!" the furious Pokémon roared. A rock sudden soared forward and slammed into Horace's chest. The Stoutland was suddenly hit with a burst of flames that knocked it out in one hit, sending it falling to the ground unconscious._

"_No!" I screamed, watching Horace's face contort in pain as he fell to the ground._

"_You'll never escape. Why bother trying when you know what the outcome is anyway?" a woman's voice asked from somewhere behind us. That horrible evil woman with blood on her hands and malice pouring from every pore in her body. Someone who was pure evil…_

"_REGIROCK!"_

_Rocks crashed down around us as the furious Pokémon floated towards us, causing Horace to fall to the ground. The irate Pokémon raised an arm high into the air as Horace screamed "Vivian! RUN!"_

_I cradled the badly injured Chatot, who cooed softly in my arms, and I said "I can't leave you behind!"_

"_It's too late for me now RUN!" Horace bellowed. I felt angry tears well up in my eyes before saying "I'll never forget you!"_

_I turned and ran…and ran and ran and ran-_

I shuddered as the smile fell completely off of my face and my voice gained a serious edge to it. I couldn't help it…that memory always managed to sober me up. I couldn't stay cheerful and nonchalant…not with his demise so fresh in my eyes.

"Cipher is like a cancer, spreading and causing pain. What they do to Pokémon is unforgivable, and I want to help you however I can. You're somewhat of a hero, Wes, and I want to do my part to help." I replied to Wes, who smiled a little at that. He maybe sensed that I had something I needed to prove…I needed to get even with them, I realized now. I had never been able to prove it was a Shadow Pokémon that killed my friend…but I always suspected. Maybe that was why I was drawn to Wes like this…

It had been on a small trip to Hoenn with my family, not even three months ago-

No. I won't dwell on it. I can't dwell on it. Not when there's work to do. I willed the memories away and felt a modicum of comfort flow into me as Decres touched my mind and sent more pleasant memories to me. I smiled at that and felt my cheerfulness return.

"Good answer. Alright. Aria, tell Hugh and Burgh to meet me at the Pokémon Center near the docks with a full team ready and healed by 8. I'll see if Wyvern wants to come along too." Wes said, his tone becoming businesslike again.

"Wyvern?" I questioned, but Wes ignored me.

"I want to come too, Wes!" Aria interrupted. Wes looked at her for a moment and said "Fine. You're with me then."

"Awesome!" Aria said excitedly, pumping her fist in the air with a yell of triumph. I couldn't help but feel my smile come back then. They were quite a pair, Wes and Aria. I could tell that the two had a great level of trust between them. Wes wanted to protect her, and the only reason he let her come with him was so he could personally keep an eye on her, while she trusted him and followed his orders.

"Vivian, can you meet us at the Pokémon-" Wes began to say before I replied "Naturally. I'm staying there anyway, so I'll be waiting in the lobby with baited breath, Wes."

"See you then." Wes said to me as he looked at Aria and said "We should get going. I want to look into another lead before we hit that building."

"What kind of lead?" Aria asked as the two of them began to walk away. I strained my ears to hear what Wes's reply was, but all I caught was the word "inferno."

So much for getting more information.

Oh well…This was going to be the beginning of a very interesting week. After all, it's not everyday you get to raid a hostile criminal organization's HQ, right?


	3. Rainstorm Aria

_Symphony_

* * *

_Happy Holidays to all of my readers and reviewers! I hope everyone is having an awesome time, and is enjoying the holiday season. I know I am._

_Now, this is my first update since completing Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead. Sorry about that guys, I was finishing up my last semester of school and I'm happy to say that I passed all my classes and will be graduating soon._

_Anyway, onto info and stuff._

_What you can expect from Second Chances is weekly updates, maybe even two a week if the review count is fairly high. This story may even have a counterpart story down the road, depending on time constraints and what kind of story you guys are interested in me doing. More on that later._

_Symphony will be receiving more updates as well, after the New Year has begun. Same with "Scattered By Destiny", a Skyrim Story that I am doing with my best friend. Check out JC785's profile page if you're interested in some collab work on a Skyrim fanfic!_

_But back to Pokémon!_

_Here's our chapter on the main heroine of Second Chances, Wes's protégé, Arianna!_

* * *

Chapter 3: Rainstorm Aria

* * *

"So, why did you take me out again?" I heard Aria ask Wes, who was apparently in a good mood today because he replied with a small laugh and said "I didn't say or do anything, Aria. You just followed me."

"But you knew I'd follow you." Aria retorted with a raised eyebrow.

"You're predictable. Besides, I wanted to get you out of the room. Watching the PWT is addicting, and I'd rather cut the head off the Seviper if you catch my meaning," Wes said with another small laugh, with Aria scowling behind him, though she was trying and failing at being annoyed with the Snagger.

"So why are you heading out? You said you-" Aria began to say before Wes turned around and made a gesture to silence her, which to my surprise worked. Definitely a student-mentor relationship, that was for sure.

"I'm meeting an old…_friend_ here." Wes said after a moment, using the word friend as though describing someone who was in fact the opposite. "Nothing more than that…Hopefully."

"Old friend?" Aria asked Wes, who nodded and said "I may a lone wolf, according to you, but I do have people helping me. Though this particular case isn't great, this guy can be useful to our purposes if I can get him to help us out. Cipher isn't quite like other groups like Team Rocket and Team Plasma. I need all the intel I can get…I don't want things to get out of hand like last time."

"Interesting." I murmured, a smile crossing my face as the two lowered their voices. I sipped my coffee slowly, savoring the warmth as the cold wet air blew by me, causing me to shiver slightly.

A storm was on the way.

I wasn't a big fan of storms, to be honest, but if it meant that I learned a bit more about what was going on in Unova, it was well worth the price of getting a bit wet and maybe catching a cold or something.

"I've got to try and figure out what to expect at that Cipher hideout, Aria. I'll meet you back at the Pokémon Center in a bit. Make sure your team is healed up and you're stocked up on supplies, alright?" Wes said to the black-haired teen, who frowned in response.

"You dragged me all the way out here to tell me that? Couldn't you have told me this in the hotel room?"

"I could have, but I like messing with you."

"Jerk."

"I try."

"…You think it'll be that bad?" Aria asked Wes after a pause, but the Snagger smiled warily in response.

"Hopefully, we can catch them off guard and we can take out an Admin, and get more information about this alliance between Cipher and Team Plasma. Worst case scenario…Well, just hope that they're not as well prepared as the last time I fought them."

"What happened last time, Wes?" Aria asked, but Wes simply turned around and walked away, waving at her in farewell.

"He's so melodramatic," Aria sighed, shaking her head. I privately agreed, Wes seemed a bit too serious at times for my liking, but he was interesting like that. He wasn't some pure-hearted hero, but one born of wanting to make the world better, and to help people. He had seen the light, so to speak, if what she had heard about him was correct. Plus he was fairly badass, admittedly.

My curiosity would not be sated though. I wanted to know.

"_You're turning into a stalker, Lady Vivian."_ Decres laughed at me. I stuck my tongue out at him and said "If he's going to make me wait, then I will find ways to entertain myself."

"_Very well."_ I returned Decres after that and turned around, and found myself looking at an empty street.

"…Crap." I sighed, throwing my hood over my face. I left a small tip and hurried after them, dodging around the rush of people hurrying down the road. After about thirty minutes and one use of Decres's psychic abilities later, I spotted Aria standing outside the Castelia City Gym, starring at it longingly.

"So, thinking of challenging the Gym?" I asked as I walked over to her, earning a surprised look in response.

"You're…Vivian, right?" Aria asked, turning towards me. I nodded in reply, a smirk on my face, as Aria looked at the Gym again with a wistful expression.

"I'm thinking of it, but I think I want to train my team a bit more before I take on another Gym Leader. I've only got two-no, sorry, three Pokémon now, and Burgh is no pushover. " Aria admitted after a moment.

"Castelia is a good place for the weak to get stronger. Besides, you want to be prepared for what happens tonight," I remarked.

"Yeah. Speaking of, why are you so willing to help us? We don't even know you." Aria asked me, earning a small laugh in reply. I was amused by her suspicions, though I guess they weren't unfounded. If a stranger offered me help with taking down a criminal syndicate, I'd be a bit skeptical as well.

"Like I said before, I have my reasons. Silly as it may be, I have a grudge against people like Cipher. They took someone important from me, an old friend. I hate admitting it, but even I want revenge," I admitted with a small pang of annoyance. Such emotions seemed below me, but…I couldn't deny my feelings.

I wanted them to burn.

"Looks like it all goes back to the people we've lost. Revenge isn't pretty, but it's honest at least." Aria said with a sigh. That was an interesting way of looking at it, really.

"Well, are you going to keep staring at that building, or would you like to walk around the city for a bit before the storm hits?" I offered Aria, who shrugged a moment later and began walking alongside me.

"Why did you start travelling with Wes?" I asked her, earning a frown in return and a long pause as well. It was a thoughtful frown, as if she was thinking it over. Evaluating her reasons and motivations.

"A lot of reasons. Part of it is pride, I guess. I want to prove that I can be strong… but at the same time Wes needs help, despite what he thinks. He can help me get stronger too, and besides, he's kind of a hero to me, and well…I want to help." Aria said in a low voice, looking away rather awkwardly. I sensed there was more to this, so I asked "Why though?"

"I've got a bit of a grudge against Team Plasma…if they've teamed up with Cipher, then they're going to ruin more lives and try and fight for power in Unova again. They're going to hurt more people, and if I can do something about it then…" Aria trailed off, looking away for a moment before looking back at me.

"Wes has fought against criminals like them before, and he's trying to save the Pokémon they've twisted and manipulated…" Aria then pulled off one of her Pokéballs from her belt and said "Wes gave me the Shadow Murkrow he caught the other day, as a gift and a test. He said the only way to understand the pain that they go through is to help a Shadow Pokémon remember who and what they are. It's just not right, being forced to give up all of your emotions and free will. Being with Wes and learning from him will make me a better trainer and a better person, and it'll help make things right."

"Shadow Pokémon, of course being what Cipher specialize in. They're dangerous and are capable of doing a lot of damage…It's a very tall order for Wes, that's for sure." I remarked, crossing my arms.

Aria nodded and said "That's why he needs my help."

I frowned then, thinking of that hardened look in Wes's eye. The same look that I had seen in a few trainers, all of which had one thing in common.

I needed to be sure though.

"Do you know what happened to him?" I asked the teen.

Aria, who gave me a confused look. I sighed, and then clarified by saying "Has he spoken to you about some recent tragedy he has had to go through, or anything like that?"

"No, not at all. I've got no idea why he acts the way he does…Though he keeps making references to 'last time.' I think something may have happened in Sinnoh when he was fighting Cipher, but I just don't know." Aria admitted, closing her eyes. A raindrop hit me on the nose as I looked up, eyeing the massive rolling rainclouds with a sigh. More rain.

Lovely.

"Can you say that he's your friend?" I asked Aria, who looked at me for a moment.

"Of course…I mean, at first I kinda thought we could be more, be he just doesn't think of me that way." Aria admitted, a faint blush in her cheeks.

"You have a crush on Wes!?" I yelled loudly before bursting out into laughter.

"Shut up!" Aria hissed, pressing her hand against my mouth, but unable to keep me from giggling. It was so absolutely cliché, (my laugh then turned into a full blown cackle of delight) the whole student idolizing her master thing and then developing feelings for him and…Oh god it was too much.

"Alright, I'm good," I said after a moment, catching my breath and earning an annoyed sigh from Aria.

"It's not like I'm the only one, and besides, I'm done with thinking of Wes like that. He's just not for me, you know? Besides, I think there may be someone else that-" Aria began to say aloud before she cut herself off. So, she had her sights set on someone else now?

Meh, don't care.

"Point is, that Wes has been through quite a bit, and I consider him a really good friend. Hell, he's one of the best friends I've had, and I've only known him for two months. I can tell him anything, and he said the same about me…He was the first person to ever believe in my dream." Aria said quietly.

"Dream? And that would be?" I asked.

"Becoming the Unova Champion, of course. All my life, I've had people trying to stop me from getting out there and having an adventure. Becoming a trainer just like everyone else I knew…I wanted to get a team, become stronger, and beat Iris. Be a true Champion…That way I can protect Unova from people like Team Plasma and Cipher. I want to prove to all of them that I can be strong…I want to make people like Wes proud of me," Aria said as I looked into her eyes. A fire of sorts began to burn within them, and it made me smile inwardly.

"_No wonder Wes seems to have chosen her. She's a determined one. Not like those most of the nitwits I usually see…There's something different about her, something I just can't place my finger on…that I like,"_ I thought as I smiled at the young woman.

"It's a good dream. I mean, a lot of people have it, but if someone like Wes thinks you can pull it off, who's to say otherwise? You probably have what it takes, Aria." I said to her, earning a surprised blink in surprise.

"Its…Well, anyone can say they believe in someone," Aria said in a low voice, walking ahead of me. I blinked I surprise, much like she did…DID SHE BLOW OFF A COMPLIMENT!?

"_Did she just blow off a compliment? From you?"_ Decres asked in dumbfounded amusement. I scowled and ran in front of her, cutting her off.

"Excuse me!? I just said I believe in you, Aria. Don't you even think about walking off-No. Stay cool. This is exactly what she wants-" I said to myself, regaining my cool.

"You catch on fast," Aria said with a grin. I felt my annoyance fade away before I felt a bubble of laughter erupt from me. So she wasn't completely devoid of a sense of humor! She tricked…Well played Aria!

"There's something about you I like." I admitted, grinning at Aria.

"You're not too bad yourself. A bit too nosy, but you're alright," Aria said in reply, grinning and walking ahead of me with her hands in her jacket pocket.

"Hehehe, thanks." I replied cheerfully.

"I really do appreciate you saying that though. My dad never once gave me a single word of encouragement about being a trainer. He always tried to keep me home," Aria said with a sigh of annoyance.

"Parents will be parents," I said with a shrug.

"Then I ran away, and eventually met Wes. He took me under his wing, and since then we've been travelling the Unova region together," Aria explained to me, causing me to smirk at her.

"Sounds like fun," I replied, not betraying my own feelings. I wonder what it would be like to travel with a partner as well? It would ease the tedium of travelling and-

No. I wasn't needy like that. I didn't need other people to make my life more interesting-

"So, what about you? What's your dream?" Aria asked me, snapping me out of my daze.

"I don't have one, really." I admitted after a moment.

"That's crazy. Everyone has a dream or goal for themselves. Come on."

"Not really. I beat all of the gyms, but more as a formality than anything else. I just like travelling with my Pokémon and exploring. Not much more to it…Though that's not to say I can't find something else down the road that I want to do." I replied to Aria, shrugging.

"Hmm…So, I've spilled my heart out to you. What's your story, Vivian?" Aria asked me, earning a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"Story? Not much of a story to tell. I was born and raised in Accumula Town, my parents were famous musicians, I left for my journey when I was 12, and I beat the gyms while messing with people along the way. I beat my 8th gym two years ago, and have been wandering around since then playing music on my violin and just…existing. The end." I said as I walked ahead of Aria, who blinked a few times before catching up to me.

"Oh come on, you're going to have to give me more than that to go on," Aria said to me as she caught up with me, crossing her arms.

We chatted for a brief time after that about ourselves, but eventually the conversation turned to Cipher and what we would expect from tonight. It was so exciting, getting the chance to storm a Cipher base!

But Aria then said something that made the mood dim, slightly.

"The thing is though…I'm worried about Wes. Whatever happened to him…it changed him. It's like something is tearing him apart from the inside, but I don't know what it is, and he won't tell me," Aria admitted, frowning again and sighing deeply.

"Then be there for him. He'll tell you in time, I think." I said with a small smile to the black-haired girl next to me, who nodded at me as a lightning bolt streaked across the sky.

"Maybe…" Aria said as he looking up at the sky. She looked over at me and said "I should probably get back to the Pokémon Center early, and get out of the rain."

"Fair enough. I've got a few errands to attend to of my own. I'll be back in time for the mission," I said with a smirk, causing Aria to jokingly shake her head in reply.

"You know, you're weird. But not in a bad way," Aria said with a small smile of her own, causing me to let out a bark of laughter in reply.

"I'm weird? It's the world that's weird, Aria!" I laughed as Aria began to walk away, her laughter echoing down the street as she gave me a casual wave.

I smiled as the rain began to fall…

A noble dream…After thinking about it, Aria being Champion didn't seem so far-fetched. She had the drive, she had a mentor who was very, very skilled. She had talent, I could tell…With a bit of training, she could grow into a far stronger trainer than me.

"_My Lady…you should get out of the rain_." Decres said as popped out of his Pokéball made the water part around me, keeping me from getting any wetter.

I smiled at my Alakazam and said "Thanks."

"_Of course, Lady Vivian."_

"Decres…I want to help her." I said to my Alakazam.

"_What about her compels you so?"_

"I don't know…she and Wes are interesting. Both have suffered in the past to varying degrees, and want to make the world better for people and Pokémon. It's so cliché but…well, something about them makes me want to help them. She's…different. I like different."

"_It is not wrong to want to lend a hand, My Lady. You have a good heart (deep down, of course), it is only naturally you want to help others."_ Decres replied softly.

I sighed and said "Ugh, this is too cheesy for my tastes, you know this."

"_Perhaps, but stereotypes and clichés exist for a reason, my Lady. As much as you resent it, your better nature does shine through once in a while. You are a good person, despite what you may think."_ Decres said as he looked up at the torrent falling around me. I felt my feet float off of the ground as I hovered towards my Alakazam, one of the few beings I felt like could really get me.

"_Now, let's get you out of the rain. It would hardly do for you to come down with a cold before you storm a Cipher base."_ Decres said to me, earning a smirk in response. I stretched my feet out as my Alakazam floated me towards the Pokémon Center.

Was I lazy? Nah. But if he was going to do it, then I may as well take advantage of it. Right?


End file.
